Friday, July 20, 2007

Dull Face -I've discovered that after you're done putting on all your make-up, apply a little bit of baby powder with your brush to give your face a radiant glow. Don't put on too much or else you'll look pale. A little goes a long way.

Make-up RemoverA great way to take off make-up is with baby oil. Just dab a little on a tissue and swipe across your face!

Lip GlossInstead of using lip gloss that doesn't last long enough, rub a thick layer of petroleom jelly (e.g. Vaseline) onto your lips and around them. This is great for winter as well because it prevents chapping and cold sores.

How To Pluck And Shape EyebrowsAlways follow the natural shape of your brow. Begin by brushing your brows up and back. A good rule of thumb to follow so you don't lose the arch in your brows is to pluck from underneath on the outer arch and from up above on the inner part of the arch.

Face PowderUse cornstarch. Use it in moderation or you can look too white.Long Lasting EyeshadowIf you want your eyeshadow to last all day long simply apply a thin layer of concealer ( Maybelline works good for me ) before applying your eyeshadow. It will usually last you for 24hrs

The color of your lips changes the shade of the lipstick. To get the original rich color, blend liquid make-up on your lips before you apply lipstick. This helps in altering your lip line and makes your lipstick last longer. To obtain a well defined lip line, use the pointed tip of you lipstick and outline your lip shape. Now take the flat surface of your lipstick and fill in the color.

Q: How can I define the shape of my lips? A: Define the outline of your lips with a professional lip brush or lip liner pencil that closely matches the color of your lipstick. Then apply your lipstick and blend the liner with a lip brush. Q: My lips are thin. How can I make them appear fuller? A: Use a pencil or lip liner to define the outermost part of your lip line. Apply your lipstick with a professional lip brush, blending the lip liner, and add a slightly lighter color in the center to create contour. Avoid dark-colored lipsticks. Q: My lips are very full. How can I make them appear thinner? A: If you want to minimize full lips, use a lip liner pencil to define the inside of your natural lip line. Fill in with lipstick and try a slightly deeper colored lipstick. Q: How do I keep my lipstick from bleeding?A: Matte formulas do not bleed as much as creamier lipsticks and glosses. If you want that moist mouth look, make sure to powder the lip line after you've applied the color. Then re-apply lipstick. Lip liner isn't always necessary but can be used.

Q: How do I make my lipstick smudge proof?A: Powder is the key to making less pigmented lip colors last longer on lips. Apply lip color with a matching lip liner if desired, then powder lips lightly. Re-apply lip color and pat again. An alternative is a lipstick sealer which puts a varnish or sealer coat on top of the lip color.

Stretch Your Beauty Dollars Getting gorgeous doesn't mean you have to empty out your wallet. Try these low-cash, high-style beauty ideas instead:1. Scrub up at home.Forego exfoliating treatments at a spa and whip up your own: Mix a handful of coarse sugar crystals with some olive oil, and use to slough off dead skin in the shower.2. Fake a perfect manicure.Soak nails in lemon juice to nix stains, then use a nail buffer to make tips shiny. No polish required!3. Maximize your lipstick.Your favorite lipstick can go the distance when you change its finish! Apply lipstick over a thin layer of Vaseline for a glossy look; pat on with a fingertip for a stain; dust with loose powder for a matte look; and mix with a bit of dark shadow for an evening effect.4. Use hair products wet and dry.Instead of investing in two different styling aids, use one for all of your needs: Apply a hair cream to damp locks to tame frizz, then smooth on a bit when hair is dry to smooth flyaways. Or use gel on wet hair for hold, then add some more to dry hair for shine.5. Hit the drugstore.Most drugstore cosmetics are related to department store brands: L'Oreal to Lancôme, Jane to Estee Lauder. That means the cheaper versions use the same cutting-edge technologies as their pricier sisters. Best low-cost bets: Mascara and lipstick.6. Invest in all-over color.For a so-chic, monochromatic look, wear the same shade on cheeks and lips (and eyes, if it's not too rosy). Nars and Stila make top-notch all-over color products that are well worth their price.7. Try a multipurpose miracle.Vaseline and Smith's Rosebud Salve are wonders: Use them as lip balm or gloss, to make eyebrows glossy, to moisturize cuticles, and to soothe dry skin patches. The bonus: They're super cheap!8. Go for all-purpose moisture.A giant bottle of Cetaphil lotion -- under $10 at the drugstore -- works on face, body, even the roughest of heels. Plus, it's noncomedogenic, so it won't cause blemishes!9. Stake out salon training nights.Most top hair salons offer low-cost cuts on training nights, where student stylists work their magic (under the close watch of their more senior colleagues).10. Don't be fooled by high-price skincare.Dermatologists consistently recommend their old (low-cost) favorites: Neutrogena, Purpose, and Cetaphil cleansers and moisturizers.

Tip #1: How to use a lash comb. For some, lash combs are simply too fussy. But for some makeup artists, they're a great invention & keep lashes glob-free & perfectly separated. So how to use? Apply mascara at the lash base, wiggling the brush & then comb the mascara to the tips of your lashes. Not into the lash comb? Get rid of clumbs without them by removing excess mascara from the wand. Wipe wand on tissue, this eliminates blobs BEFORE you start.Tip #2: Try a clean mascara wand. Sweep a clean, fresh mascara wand through lashes when they're wet. Don't worry, you don't have to buy them. When you finish a mascara, clean the wand in a capful of eye makeup remover, then wash with soap & dry. Keep it clean by washing it whenever you wash your makeup tools.Tip #3: Don't shy away from colored mascara. Basic mascara rules are simple: Black works for everyone but blondes. Blondes should opt for brown/black by day & reserve black for night. Blue mascara, however, can brighten blue eyes, purple mascara can make brown eyes pop. The most popular mascara sold in the US is Maybelline Great Lash mascara, a great buy at under $6. The company estimates 1 tube is sold every 1.6 seconds in the U.S.

Tip #4: When applying mascara, wiggle the wand at the base of the lashes. It's the mascara placed near the roots (not the tips) that gives the illusion of length.Tip #5: Thin, short brushes are best. A thinner brush allows you to get into the corner of eyes. Short brushes give you more control.

Tip #6: Give a few coats to the edges by blinking. Blink onto the brush to give ends an extra coat.Tip #7: Powder under the eye before applying mascara. Sometimes mascara smudges because it's attracted to oily concealer or eye creams.Tip #8: Use an eyelash curler BEFORE applying mascara. Curling lashes gives eyes the appearance of being wider & brighter. Shoot hot air from your blowdryer on the mascara curler for 3-5 seconds to warm it up before curling lashes. Touch it first to make sure it's not TOO hot. Shu Uemura makes the most popular eyelash curler on the market ($18-$22).Tip #9: Zig-zag the wand. Zig-zagging the wand back & forth during application helps cut down clumps.Tip #10: For a dramatic look, apply mascara only to the upper lashes. To make eyes seem wider, apply to the bottom, too. But make sure you give lashes a light touch. Not great at getting those bottom lashes? Try putting a tissue under them before application.Tip #11: Use a mascara primer. Primers coat lashes & separate them before you apply mascara. Makeup artists swear by this relatively new inventionTip #12: Want that 2nd coat? Just make sure to do it before the first coat dries, otherwise you'll get clumps.Tip #13: Do NOT pump wand in & out of the tube. This only introduces air into the tube, which will cause your mascara to dry out sooner than it should.Tip #14: Another smudge-proof tip -- bend the wand. A top makeup artist once gave his secret to his steady hand: he always bends his wand at a right angle.Tip #15: Wait 5 seconds before blinking. You don't want to paint your lids, do you?

Tip #1: Store lipstick in the fridge. It will last weeks longer.Tip #2: Never use a tester on your lips. It's just plain unhygienic. Instead, test lipstick on your fingertips. It's a closer fit to your lips than the back of your hand.Tip #3: Use liner on your lips as a base. Lipstick will last longer if you fill in your lips with the liner first. If you're using light lipstick, try a nude liner. Then slick your lipstick on top.Tip #4: Don't skip the liner. Without the prerequisite liner, your lips will look "smudgier" according to Berg, softer & less defined.Tip #5: Keep lipstick off your teeth with this trick. This is a trick I learned years ago from my mom. After applying lipstick, take your index finger & pop it in your mouth, then pull it out. The excess lipstick will come off on your finger rather than your teeth.Tip #6: Lipstick can act as a blush. But never use blush as a lipstick.Tip #7: Apply liner first. Lipstick tends to feather if you apply liner second. Also, you won't be able to see the natural line of your lips if you apply lipstick first.Tip #8: The older you are, the 'creamier' your lips should look. Women over 50 should avoid matte or a gloss and stick with a creamy lipstick.Tip #9: Don't throw out a bad color lipstick. Beauty editors know you can create a great lipcolor by combining lipsticks you don't like. You can also color in lips with a darker liner before applying a lipstick that's too bright.Tip #10: For 'plump' lips, apply liner just outside your natural lipline. 'Nuff said.Tip #11: Keep lip gloss on longer with liner. Lip gloss is infamous for wearing off fast, but if you fill in lips first with the liner, the gloss has something to stick to.Tip #12: Heal -- don't throw out -- a broken lipstick. If your lipstick breaks off, simply take off the broken portion with a tissue, then slowly wave a lit match under the broken piece of lipstick. When it's melted a bit, put it back on the base, swivel it down and put it in the fridge -- uncovered -- for 5 minutes.Tip #13: Avoid orange or brown shades. They tend to make teeth appear yellow.Tip #14: Save the last bits. Down to the last bit of you favorite lipstick? There's plenty more at the bottom of your tube. Scrape out the last bits with a cotton swap or orange stick & mix it with Vaseline or lip gloss in a lipstick palette.Tip #15: Keep lipstick off glass. Discreetly lick the lip of the glass before touching your lips to it. It works!

About them: Freckles appear early in life, increase in number during summer months and fade in winter. After the age of 40-45 they disappear, but who wants to wait? Age spots are similar to freckles. They appear later in life and can occur in any skin type.If you know why the discoloration occurs and take measures to prevent and treat it, you can have an even skin tone at any age.

What To Do:If you want to avoid skin discoloration, the first and the most important thing you need to do is to avoid sun exposure and wear sunscreen. This way your body will not need to produce more melanin (melanin is produced by the body in response to sun exposure).Since melanin is accumulated in the upper layer of the skin, you might want to consider skin lightening and peeling. There are different products that can be used for this purpose:Hydroquinone has been a very popular treatment, however it can irritate the skin.Kojic acid, discovered in Japan in 1989, is a natural product derived from fungi. It is gentle on the skin and very effective in treating skin discoloration. Penetrating upper skin layers, it inhibits the formation of the pigment.Alpha Hydroxy Acids help to shed the old cells faster, therefore they will be helpful as well. By removing the outer skin cells, which are usually darker, you will make your freckles or age spots lighter and less visible.If you decide to use any of the above products, extra sun protection is imperative. If necessary, apply an SPF cream several times a day. By using skin lighteners and peels, you affect the upper darker layer. Lower layers are lighter, with less melanin present. If you don't protect your skin, it will launch its own defense mechanism producing more melanin. This will result in darker and more intensive discoloration which can be even harder to get rid of.Please remember that skin discoloration require consistent treatment. Once you stop using lighteners and protection, the dark patches will be back. But keeping up with your skin regiment is not difficult: all you need is a gentle yet effective lightener and a moisturizer with complete UV protection - against both UVB and UVA rays.

Natural Remedies:wash your face with sour milk. Lactic acid will provide gentle peeling effect without irritating or drying your skin.Lemon juice is a time-proven freckle fighting remedy. It is not necessary to rub your skin with a piece of lemon. Applying the juice with your fingers will do the job.Fruit and vegetable masks (apricots, strawberries, cucumbers, red currant).Sour cream mask. Do not rinse this mask completely, just remove gently with a facial tissue, then apply a moisturizer. For oily skin - use lemon juice before applying the mask.Natural parsley juice (or parsley infusion) mixed with equal amounts of lemon juice, orange juice, and red currant juice under your favorite cream will help you keep your freckles invisible.Increase your Vitamin C intake! It makes your skin less sensitive to the sun. Foods rich in vitamin C include citrus fruits, apples, green onions, black and red currant, rosehip tea.

1. Liquid eyeliner should only be used above the top lashes. It is best to use a pencil or eyeshadow under the lower lashes. For a more dramatic look, use a colored kohl pencil above and below lashes and follow with a black liquid liner on the top. It will make your lashes appear darker and will stay on all day. A dark eye-liner highlights the shape of your eyes and deepens the look. Softly line with eyeliner pencil, draw a thin line along lashes next to roots.For a dramatic look, lightly dot color along the lower lashes. For softness, line can be smudged with fingertip or Q-tip.------------------------------2. Eyeliner should be applied close to the base of the eyelashes. Products vary from cake to liquid liner to pencil. Practice makes perfect in achieving a fine line. Hold your head back and look down into the mirror. The eyelid will be tight and it will be easier to apply the liner. Smudge if necessary.------------------------------3. Don´t apply eyeliner in a thick line. It looks harsh and makes the eye appear heavy and tired. Get out of the 60´s and instead use a fine line. If you have trouble, use a brush to blend and smooth it out.------------------------------4. By using a line under the lower lashes gives the illusion of making the eyes appear larger. Instead of using a pencil, try using a small makeup brush with a dark eyeshadow. Apply into the lashes to make the lashes appear darker. Below this line apply a highlighter eyeshadow (in white, beige or yellow) in a fine line with a cleansed small brush. This will brighten the eye area.------------------------------5. There are pencil eyeliners, liquid eyeliner, and cake eyeliners. Pencil liners can be used above top lashes and under lower lashes. Liquid liners should only be used on the top lid. Cake eyeliners are used with water and can be used both top and bottom.------------------------------6. A smoky violet pencil looks best for someone with green eyes. On the color wheel, green and violet are opposite, and so they look well together. Also, look at nature when deciding on a color palette. Green, burnt orange and beige can be found in a field of autumn colors.------------------------------7. If you want to use the same liner pencil for eyes and lips I would recommend using an eyeliner pencil. Then you know this is safe for the eyes. Choose a shade that is a red-brown or a plum-brown. Then it will compliment your lipstick.------------------------------8. A liquid eyeliner or a cake eyeliner that you use with a fine brush will stay on the best. If you don´t feel adept at using these, pencils work well also. Pencils can be smudged for a subtle look. Always hold your head back, look down into the mirror, and apply your eyeliner. This will keep your eyelid skin tight and you can make a smooth line.

When choosing your hairstyle, remember that you'll have a much easier time if you choose a style that lets hair do what it wants naturally.

Fine Hair has the appearance of softness, which can be very feminine and appealing. However, if you want it to look thicker, you should have it layered slightly. A soft body wave adds fullness and hair coloring can also give more body and make it look thicker.

Course Hair has an overall heavy look - one that makes a statement. Cut is very important and a haircut that shapes the face will also help control the hair. Coloring will soften the texture by filling in and smoothing out the cuticle.

Straight Hair can be thick or thin but when in perfect, shiny condition, it gives the impression of a shimmering sheet of hair. A straight, blunt cut to the length you decide is best. A body wave will create movement and curlers will help add height.

Curly Hair is perhaps the most versatile. You can blow-dry it straight, use rollers of various sizes to adjust the natural curls, or let it go soft and curly on its own.

Have you noticed the amount of celebrities who have all of a sudden grown long, flowing locks? The key to their fabulous hair is the clever use of hair extensions, carefully blended to match exactly with their own hair. Hair extensions offer instant volume for limp tresses or emergency relief from a disastrous haircut. You can expect extensions to last up to three months.Caring for hair extensions is a bit different from caring for natural hair. Some things that you should know.Use a soft bristle brush and brush your hair from the bottom and gently work your way up.Gently tie your hair up while sleeping.Do not color your own hair extentions at home.To prevent tangling, run your fingers through the braid extensions.Don't spray your extensions with conditioners or any silicone based products as they can cause the braids to slip.How long can extensions be? You can have any length you want up to about 26"-30". Anything longer than this puts extra weight on your scalp which may lead to uneven pressure and damage to your own hair. The best looking hair extensions for average height women are usually around 22" or less.

How much are they? It's all relative. Someone will do it for you for a few hundred dollars while others will charge thousands. Shop around, but remember that to get the best possible product you will pay a premium price. However, your hair will look great, it will last and you will feel terrific!

Can I wear my hair up? Of course, the hair extensions should not be applied any lower than the base of your scalp (approximately at the level of the middle of your ears) and so your hair under this point covers the extensions while you wear it in pigtails, ponytails, french braidsetc.

Does it hurt? No! If it hurts get out of there! The extensions artist should braid the tracks firmly but comfortably. The tension should be even all over your head with no points pulling or hurting. Do not put up with someone telling you it has to be really tight in order to be secure. Pulling your hair out is not the idea. You will know you have something on your head for the first day or two but after that you won't even feel that they are there.

Applying fake lashes is best left to your make-up artist, but with a little patience and practice, you too can master this art. So don't try it five minutes before leaving to a big party. Andrea lashes are great and they are available inexpensively at the drugstore.Keep a piece of paper handy to hold the lashes, and a magnifying mirror, which makes the job a lot easier. Using a tweezer, dip the base end of the lashes into the glue, then place the lashes as close to the baseline of your own as you can, filling in wherever you want the greatest impact (generally, the mid to outer lashes look fabulous in false lashes). Press gently, but firmly with something blunt. Hold the lash in place for about 5 seconds until the glue has a chance to hold.Let the glue dry, and then apply a dark eyeliner to camouflage the line of the fake lashes and then apply your mascara. The mascara will help blend your own lashes with the fake ones, and make your eyes look fuller and larger.

• Already hair will show signs of straightening but is still frizzy and dry and lacks shine.(Straightness would not last) • With medium or long hair use clips to seperate hair so that you can concentrate on one section at a time. • Starting at the front with a small section of hair use you straightener down the length is a swift smooth motion. • Repeat this step on the next section and continue using small sections right round the head. • Always run the straightener from top, down the hairs length and continue until the straightener runs off the hair at the end and hair falls away. Do not stop at any point and try to keep the sweep even and consistant • On larger sections you may need to repeat the run with the straightener 2-3 times. • Once the majority of hair has been straightened finish the style by blending at the ends. With no clips run the straightener close to the ends and off the ends of the hair. This will stop seperation that might occur when using sectioning clips. • You should be left with sleek shiny frizz free straight hair which should last a long time

If your eyes are: Blue Try: Brown and rose. Warm shades contrast the coolness of blue eyes, making them stand out. Apply from lashlines to creases and top with black mascara.If your eyes are: Brown Try: Green and gold. Both shades will pick up the colored flecks found in brown eyes. Choose a slightly shimmery texture, and apply from lashlines to browbones, blending well.If your eyes are: Green Try: Lavender and mocha. Purple shades contrast your color, making eyes look dramatic; warmer shades of mocha complement green, giving a natural effect. Wear mocha for day, lavender for night, and top both with brown mascara.If your eyes are: Hazel Try: Deep green and pale yellow. Depending on your mood, choose a shadow shade that matches different flecks in your eyes. For a twist, apply shadow, then line eyes with the same color, using a liner brush dipped in water.Anyone-Can-Wear-'Em Shades: Charcoal, chocolate, black. (Tip: Since they can look heavy on the lid, use these colors as liners to complement any shadow hue.)